Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechuri on Monday denied that his party had climbed down from its earlier stand on the India-United States civilian nuclear deal.
"There is no question of the CPM climbing down. Our main demand is that the government should sign the agreement only after the United Progressive Alliance-Left committee approves of the outcomes of talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding safeguards," he said.
"We had put up nine demands and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced 12 points. But three of these assurances are sought to be violated -- transfer of technology, uninterrupted supply of nuclear material and reciprocity. While the US president can terminate the treaty on his own, India is told to be in touch with IAEA on a continued basis," said Yechury
"What we are opposed to most is that the US wants India to follow its foreign policy on Iran. The US is trying to be a global policeman. We also condemn their statement that they have the right to kidnap any one," he said.
Yechury also said that his party was yet to take cognizance of the offer made by controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen to withdraw three pages of her book that had hurt the sentiments of the people.
"She did not consult with us when she wrote those pages. So where is the question of accepting what she has written?" he asked. Taslima had agreed to drop the controversial passages from her book after the intervention of CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta.
Speaking on Nandigram, Yechury said in jest that the fact that Governor Gopal Gandhi could play cricket and get out to the first ball clearly showed that things were returning to normal in the state.
When asked if Mamata Banerjee would be visiting Nandigram again, Yechuri said that India is a free country and Banerjee was free to go anywhere she liked.
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